Lansdowne Improvement Association
Baltimore MD 21227
410-242-6067
Welcome
In order to make sure every
citizen of Lansdowne has a voice, we have opened this website to help get
information to you. LansdowneOnline.com is a medium that you can take
advantage of to voice your opinion, concerns and suggestions.
In a technical age, it is important that we
keep up with technology and use it to our greatest advantage. What a great
way to communicate to the citizens of Lansdowne. This website is still
growing. And, as we grow we want your input.
There are more pages planned for the site
such as the new C.O.P.s page to keep abreast
of your needs; an education page that will give you school information, possibly
a list serve where members can post information and communicate via email.
There many possibilities, but your website committee needs your input.
Please let us know what you want to see on this website. Your suggestions are
always welcome.
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President's Message
Updated:
July 03, 2009
Dear Lansdowne,
Well here we are beginning another fiscal
year for our community group. Elections were held and everyone will be returning
to serve our community and residents. Communities change every day in many ways
such as crime, education and just the streets we drive on. So our work is never
done and sometimes every meeting presents a new challenge. So as a group we need
to work on them to correct the issues and to make our community a better place
for us and those who visit. Sometimes just the appearance of our community can
give off the wrong impression. So let’s step up our approach and make our
community a place we can be proud of and our visitors can speak well about.
Our StreetScape project is still very
much ongoing and should be completed by the fall. It’s been a tough haul for
residents and businesses impacted along Hammonds-Ferry Road. Curbs and sidewalks
are almost complete. The beautiful lamp posts and shrubbery really look nice.
When this project is completed I think many of us will forget the trying times.
Our business district is really beginning to take on a new look and one that
makes all of us proud. So bear with the project because better things lie ahead.
Our Community Gateway Sign still proudly
shows our communities pride. We had a small issue with the Flag Poles and they
needed to be taken down. Ron Whitehead from the Riverview Community group and
some of his members help be putting the flag poles back up and inserting a
reinforce pole inside the flag poles for support. The community flags fly
proudly once again. Our American Flag will be put up for special holidays. We
yet to get our electric to the sign that Baltimore County and Councilman Moxley
office had promise. We may need to look into new options for lighting our sign.
Well in closing I would like to encourage
you and your friends to become involved in your community. Many things need to
be done in our community and we can’t wait for government to do them. Yes the
economy is bad but our pride and dignity is very much intact. So let’s come
together and make our home Lansdowne a better place to live.
Join the List Serv. If you would like to be alerted of news and tidbits,
please join our Email list serve.
See our listserve page
for details.
See You Soon
Craig Rankin
410-242-6067
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Lansdowne History
In the late 1800's, the Whitaker Iron Company
mined for ore in Lansdowne. Abandoned pits from the mining were filled up
by underground springs creating small ponds and lakes. Lansdowne was
mostly farmland, including the Kessler farm, MacLeod farm and Wades farm.
When the railroad came, Lansdowne became
knows as a B&O town. Most people worked for the B&O, commuting by train
into Baltimore City. The first station was names Coursey Station.
The Coursey Station senior housing center takes its name from this.
The two main roads were Hammonds Ferry Road
and Hollins Ferry Road, both of which led to the Patapsco River where you could
take a ferry across to the other side.
Early churches included the Lutheran Church of Our Savior, St.
Clements Catholic Church, Lansdowne United Methodist Church, Lansdowne
Christian Church and the First Baptist Church. The site of the original
wooden school house was on the property that is now St. Clements.
In the 1950's housing developments sprang up in the Baltimore
Highlands and Riverview areas. Schools were build for these neighborhoods.
In Lansdowne, the Lansdowne Elementary School, Lansdowne Junior High (middle
school) and Lansdowne Senior High were known as the "Golden Education Triangle."
In the early 1960's the B&O closed the railroad crossing and
Lansdowne Boulevard was constructed, connecting Lansdowne to Washington
Boulevard, bridging over the railroad tracks. A tunnel was also
constructed under the tracks for pedestrian crossing. Some old railroad
cars were erected as a museum and shopping area alongside Hammonds Ferry Road
and the railroad tracks.
In the 1980's Baltimore County Recreation and Parks opened a
large parcel of land for public use. Southwest Area Park is located on the
Patapsco River, just below Baltimore Highlands.
A small library was built by Baltimore County in 1966, on Third
Avenue. In 1993, the Lansdowne Library was closed due to budget cutbacks.
The building is now used as the Police Athletic League Center. In 1989 the
Lansdowne/Baltimore Highlands Senior Center was built directly behind the
Library building.
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